Comments on: Crossed: A Tale of the Fourth Crusade – Book Review

By: devourerofbooks

devourerofbooks — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:57:27 +0000

Nicole,

Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I didn’t dislike the modern feeling, I thought you actually made it work whereas most authors could not. I think you are correct, though, that REAL period feel would overwhelm modern readers. I suppose it is an intermediate sort of period feel that writers like Penman create. I’m looking forward to reading some of your other books and seeing how you bring the past into more modern feeling literature. Thank you again for the great read!

By: Nicole Galland

Nicole Galland — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:55:53 +0000

Hi there, this is Nicole Galland, the author of CROSSED. My publisher just sent me this URL, and I wanted to thank you for reviewing the book well; I also to address an issue you brought up which is of interest to me: the issue of “feeling period.” I actually TRY to write my books so that they feel like modern literature set a long time ago, so I was delighted that you had that reaction to it, although I realize that wasn’t what you were hoping to find.

But I am always intrigued by what people mean when they talk about something “feeling” period. I doubt any of us could begin to relate to how people “really” were 800 years ago, so if something REALLY felt “period,” it would probably be a deeply alienating read. That’s my own humble opinion, but it’s why I don’t try to invent a “period” sensibility, especially when it comes to the psychological makeup of my characters. (That said, of course, I love losing myself in Dorothy Dunnett’s swashbuckling fiction as much as anyone.)

Delighted to see that folks occasionally stumble across my video “Iraq and the Fourth Crusade” – please share it with all your friends and neighbors!

By: Toni Gomez

Toni Gomez — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:55:00 +0000

Sounds like an interesting read. I love the little fact/fiction diddys in the back of historical fiction books.

By: Ladytink_534

Ladytink_534 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:33:23 +0000

Have you seen this book trailer/ interview with the author? I was blown away.

By: Veens

Veens — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:40:13 +0000

I have nt heard about this book at all :O

And I am not going to “look” for it

By: Michele

Michele — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:32:31 +0000

This one’s been in one of my TBR piles (actually, the one in my car) for eons. I’m glad you reviewed it….gives me incentive to bump it up on the list.

By: Daphne

Daphne — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:21:46 +0000

I’ve been wanting to read this book – I thought it sounded interesting and I know nothing about the 4th crusade (didn’t even realize there was one!). I think I’ll wait and get it from the library though.

By: devourerofbooks

devourerofbooks — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:44:04 +0000

The whole concept of the crusades is ridiculous in the first place, of course. At the very least, how do you expect to convert someone by killing them? The fourth crusade, though, the army fought other Christians exclusively; ridiculous even by the standards of a crusade.

But you’re right, plenty of absurd things happened in the crusades, and in the name of God in general.

By: Meghan

Meghan — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:39:48 +0000

I’ve had this book for almost a year now and I still haven’t read it. I’ve read Galland’s two other books, though, and really enjoyed them. If you liked this one, I’d recommend The Revenge of the Rose, which has more of a period feel as it’s roughly based on the Romance of the Rose and plays a lot with the concept of courtly love. Her first one is very much modern people in a medieval setting, although her author’s note explains that she was trying to get across the fact that medieval people were actually people like us.

The crusades are totally ridiculous. The more you learn, the harder it is to believe that they actually happened, although they most certainly did.